Police Lieutenant General Panumas Boonyalak, Commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, leads a press conference announcing the arrest of four European suspects in a drug trafficking network on Koh Phangan at the Surat Thani Immigration Office on December 19, 2024.
KOH PHANGAN — Four European nationals have been arrested following a nine-month investigation that uncovered a network on Koh Phangan using Thai nominees to establish legitimate-looking businesses for money laundering, with cash flows exceeding 71 million baht (US$2 million).
Police Major General Panthana Nuchanart, Deputy Commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, updated the press on December 27 regarding the arrest of three Europeans involved in the drug network. The Immigration Bureau has submitted requests to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to revoke the visas of all suspects – one Italian, one French, and one Russian national. They have also been blacklisted from entering Thailand.
The investigation began on March 1, 2024, when Surat Thani Immigration officers arrested Mr. Peter, a British national, for illegal possession of Category 1 and 2 narcotics (Ecstasy and Cocaine) and overstaying his visa. The Koh Samui Provincial Court sentenced him to 5 years and 11 months in prison, and he is currently serving his sentence at Koh Samui Prison.
Investigation chart showing the arrest of four European suspects in a drug trafficking network on Koh Phangan, presented at the Surat Thani Immigration Office on December 19, 2024.
Further investigation of financial trails revealed that Peter had ordered drugs worth over 200,000 baht from Federico, an Italian national, over the course of more than a year. Federico was found to have received transfers from other foreigners residing in Koh Samui and Koh Phangan areas, suspected to be drug-related payments, totaling 71 million baht.
On December 11, authorities executed search warrants at three locations on Koh Phangan, leading to Federico’s arrest. He faces multiple charges, including distribution of Category 1 and 2 narcotics, conspiracy to commit serious drug offenses, and money laundering.
Police seized 24 pieces of evidence, including a Bangkok Bank account containing 6.6 million baht ($193K), a 2-rai land plot worth 8 million baht ($234K) registered under Pittaya Land Company, and a Mazda car.
Two additional suspects were subsequently arrested: Mr. Roman, 37, a French national, for cocaine possession and use, and Mr. Anton, 39, a Russian national, for possession of Category 5 narcotics (magic mushrooms).
The suspects had been living in Thailand for several years, primarily on Koh Phangan, with no legitimate primary occupation. They allegedly sold drugs at parties frequented by foreigners and established front companies to launder their drug proceeds.
Investigation also revealed that Anton had established Pure House Phangan Company Limited, a villa cleaning service, using Thai nominees to circumvent foreign business regulations. One of them is a Thai national, Ms. Meena. She was charged with helping foreign nationals illegally operate businesses through nominee arrangements.
The Immigration Bureau continues to investigate additional land holdings and property businesses connected to the network, with two more land plots currently under scrutiny.
"Twenty foreign nationals are arrested in a Tourist Police raid targeting illegal prostitution along Pattaya Beach on December 27, 2024.
PATTAYA — Twenty foreign nationals were arrested in the early hours of December 27 during a coordinated police operation targeting illegal prostitution along Pattaya’s famous beachfront.
The Tourist Police conducted the raid at 1:00 a.m. following mounting complaints from local residents and tourists about provocatively dressed women soliciting customers under the trees lining Pattaya Beach. Among those arrested were nine Ugandan, eight Uzbek, two Malagasy, and one Rwandan national, ranging in age from 26 to 51.
“This operation is part of our ongoing efforts to improve the image of Pattaya’s tourist areas, especially as we approach the New Year holiday season,” said a Tourist Police spokesperson.
The suspects reportedly confessed to traveling to Pattaya specifically to work in the sex trade, drawn by the city’s large foreign tourist population. They face charges under Thailand’s Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act for public solicitation and creating a nuisance.
Tourist Police detain twenty foreign nationals during a prostitution raid on Pattaya Beach, December 27, 2024.
Chonburi Immigration Police and Social Development officials are also involved in the case. Following the payment of fines through the Social Development office, immigration authorities will proceed with revoking the suspects’ visas and deporting them from Thailand.
The crackdown represents the latest effort by Thai authorities to clean up Pattaya’s image as a destination for sex tourism, a reputation that has long plagued the beachside resort city despite its attempts to rebrand as a family-friendly destination.
For decades, Pattaya has struggled to balance its nightlife entertainment industry with efforts to attract a broader range of international tourists. Local officials say they will continue enforcement actions to maintain order along the beachfront area, particularly during the upcoming peak tourist season.
FILE - Indian Prime Minster Manmohan Singh addresses a press conference, in New Delhi, India, Friday, Jan. 3, 2014. (AP Photo/Harish Tyagi, Pool, File)
NEW DELHI (AP) — India’s former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, widely regarded as the architect of India’s economic reform program and a landmark nuclear deal with the United States, has died. He was 92.
Singh was admitted to New Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences late Thursday after his health deteriorated due to a “sudden loss of consciousness at home,” the hospital said in a statement.
“Resuscitative measures were started immediately at home. He was brought to the Medical Emergency” at 8:06 p.m., the hospital said, but “despite all efforts, he could not be revived and was declared dead at 9:51 p.m.”
Singh was being treated for “age-related medical conditions,” the statement said.
FILE – Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh greets the crowd during an election campaign rally at Khumtai, in the northeastern Indian state of Assam, Saturday, March 29, 2014. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath, File)
A mild-mannered technocrat, Singh became one of India’s longest-serving prime ministers for 10 years and leader of the Congress Party in the Parliament’s Upper House, earning a reputation as a man of great personal integrity. He was chosen to fill the role in 2004 by Sonia Gandhi, the widow of assassinated Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
But his sterling image was tainted by allegations of corruption against his ministers.
Singh was reelected in 2009, but his second term as prime minister was clouded by financial scandals and corruption charges over the organization of the 2010 Commonwealth Games. This led to the Congress Party’s crushing defeat in the 2014 national election by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party under the leadership of Narendra Modi.
Singh adopted a low profile after relinquishing the post of prime minister.
Prime Minister Modi, who succeeded Singh in 2014, called him one of India’s “most distinguished leaders” who rose from humble origins and left “a strong imprint on our economic policy over the years.”
“As our Prime Minister, he made extensive efforts to improve people’s lives,” Modi said in a post on the social platform X. He called Singh’s interventions in Parliament as a lawmaker “insightful” and said “his wisdom and humility were always visible.”
FILE – Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh speaks during the 68th session of the General Assembly at United Nations headquarters, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2013. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)
Rahul Gandhi, from the same party as Singh and the opposition leader in the lower house of the Indian Parliament, said Singh’s “deep understanding of economics inspired the nation” and that he “led India with immense wisdom and integrity.”
“I have lost a mentor and guide. Millions of us who admired him will remember him with the utmost pride,” Gandhi wrote on X.
The United States offered its condolences, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken saying that Singh was “one of the greatest champions of the U.S.-India strategic partnership.”
“We mourn Dr. Singh’s passing and will always remember his dedication to bringing the United States and India closer together,” Blinken said.
Born on Sept. 26, 1932, in a village in the Punjab province of undivided India, Singh’s brilliant academic career took him to Cambridge University in Britain, where he earned a degree in economics in 1957. He then got his doctorate in economics from Nuffield College at Oxford University in 1962.
Singh taught at Panjab University and the prestigious Delhi School of Economics before joining the Indian government in 1971 as economic advisor in the Commerce Ministry. In 1982, he became chief economic adviser to the Finance Ministry. He also served as deputy chair of the Planning Commission and governor of the Reserve Bank of India.
As finance minister, Singh in 1991 instituted reforms that opened up the economy and moved India away from a socialist-patterned economy and toward a capitalist model in the face of a huge balance of payments deficit, skirting a potential economic crisis.
His accolades include the 1987 Padma Vibhushan Award, India’s second-highest civilian honor; the Jawaharlal Nehru Birth Centenary Award of the Indian Science Congress in 1995; and the Asia Money Award for Finance Minister of the Year in 1993 and 1994.
Singh was a member of India’s Upper House of Parliament and was leader of the opposition from 1998 to 2004 before he was named prime minister. He was the first Sikh to hold the country’s top post and made a public apology in Parliament for the 1984 Sikh Massacre in which some 3,000 Sikhs were killed after then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by Sikh bodyguards.
Under Singh, India adopted a Right to Information Act in 2005 to promote accountability and transparency from government officials and bureaucrats. He was also instrumental in implementing a welfare scheme that guaranteed at least 100 paid workdays for Indian rural citizens.
The coalition government he headed for a decade brought together politicians and parties with differing ideologies that were rivals in the country’s various states.
In a move hailed as one of his biggest achievements apart from economic reforms, Singh ended India’s nuclear isolation by signing a deal with the U.S. that gave India access to American nuclear technology.
But the deal hit his government adversely, with Communist allies withdrawing support and criticism of the agreement growing within India in 2008 when it was finalized.
Singh adopted a pragmatic foreign policy approach, pursuing a peace process with nuclear rival and neighbor Pakistan. But his efforts suffered a major setback after Pakistani militants carried out a massive gun and bomb attack in Mumbai in November 2008.
He also tried to end the border dispute with China, brokering a deal to reopen the Nathu La pass into Tibet, which had been closed for more than 40 years.
His 1965 book, “India’s Export Trends and Prospects for Self-Sustained Growth,” dealt with India’s inward-oriented trade policy.
Singh is survived by his wife Gursharan Kaur and three daughters.
Immigration police discover a missing Bangladeshi tourist using methamphetamine in his hotel room in Bangna district, Bangkok on Dec. 26, 2024.
BANGKOK —Twist in missing Bangladeshi tourist case! Immigration police discovered a Bangladeshi tourist using methamphetamine in his Bangkok hotel room after his family reported losing contact with him for six months.
On December 26, Police Colonel Rapeepat Utsaha, Deputy Commander of Immigration Division 1, received a missing person report for Abu Al Kasim (pseudonym), 30, who had been unreachable since arriving in Thailand.
Immigration police discover a missing Bangladeshi tourist using methamphetamine in his hotel room in Bangna district, Bangkok on Dec. 26, 2024.
Following a lead, investigators located Kasim at a hotel in Bang Na district. Upon reaching his 9th-floor room, officers encountered a Thai woman leaving. Inside, they found Kasim holding drug paraphernalia. Further search revealed nearly 2 grams of crystal methamphetamine hidden in a snack box.
Kasim entered Thailand in May 2024 on a tourist visa that has since expired. He admitted to the drug possession, stating he became enamored with the “free lifestyle” in Thailand, which led to drug experimentation.
Police charged Kasim with illegal drug possession and overstaying his visa. The investigation has yielded information about potential drug suppliers, which authorities plan to pursue further.
The cremation ceremony for Mr. Sittipong and Ms. Orachon, the husband and wife who were shot at a rice porridge restaurant in Hat Yai district, was held at Wat Pa Bon Tam in Pa Bon subdistrict, Pa Bon district, Phatthalung province on December 26, 2024.
BANGKOK — The final week of 2024’s year-end celebrations was marked by at least three devastating alcohol-related incidents. Each incident has deeply shaken society in its own way.
In Hat Yai, an intoxicated man, enraged at a restaurant server, opened fire in a rice porridge restaurant, killing parents who were protecting their young children. In Nakhon Ratchasima, a 75-year-old drunk driver crashed into a police officer and seriously injured schoolchildren. In Chanthaburi, a 27-year-old TikTok star with intellectual disabilities died after excessive drinking at a party.
The first two cases involved children as victims, while the final case highlighted the struggles of a special needs individual who endured bullying for money to support himself and his elderly grandmother.
Death for 30,000 Baht?
Bank Lester, whose real name was Thanakarn Kanthee, was born in a Bangkok slum and lived with his impoverished grandmother after his parents separated when he was just two months old. By age seven, he was selling flower garlands on the streets to make a living.
He later gained social media fame as a special needs individual who would perform outrageous acts for money and likes, often subjecting himself to humiliation. His acts included fighting in underground fight clubs, riding motorcycles into water, being secretly filmed while bathing, eating unsanitary items, and even consuming lubricant gel. His final act involved drinking excessive amounts of alcohol.
Bank Lester who died at age 27 on Christmas night at a party where he was videoed consuming straight liquor
Bank Lester died at age 27 on Christmas night at a party where he was videoed consuming straight liquor. Before his death from shock, a post questioned whether drinking so heavily was worth 30,000 baht. His death prompted an outpouring of grief online, with netizens calling for police investigation into the cause and those responsible, as well as support for his elderly grandmother.
On December 26, Police Lieutenant General Yingyot Thepchamnong, Commander of Provincial Police Region 2, revealed that the case is under investigation by Thung Benja Police Station. Initial autopsy results showed acute heart failure as the cause of death. Forensic doctors have collected tissue samples, bodily fluids, blood, and stomach contents for laboratory testing.
The police have interviewed five witnesses, including the party host’s mother, the deceased’s friend named Thanakarn, event witnesses, the video recorder, and a suspect allegedly involved in paying for the drinking. Initially, all denied paying Bank Lester to drink.
However, later some of the witnesses stated that money was offered to Bank Lester for drinking, at 10,000 baht per 350ml bottle. This led him to drink at least two 350ml bottles and 1 glass of liquor, plus 1/4 bottle of beer. The police are currently investigating to proceed with legal action.
Drunk Driving Tragedy at School
Police Lieutenant Wimut Taensupho, Deputy Traffic Inspector at Nakhon Ratchasima City Police Station, was well-known to students, parents, and teachers at Ban Don Khwang School for helping children cross the street. On December 23, around 4 PM, while riding his motorcycle for his usual after-school duty, he was struck and killed by a car driven by Somsak Asaichaow, a 75-year-old former provincial agricultural officer.
The elderly driver lost control, hitting students and teachers in front of the school, causing multiple casualties. When rescue workers pulled him from the car, they detected a strong alcohol odor. He was too intoxicated to give a consistent answer about what he had drunk – wine, beer, or spirits. His breathalyzer test at the hospital showed 197 mg of alcohol, far exceeding the legal limit of 50 mg.
Somsak was charged with drunk driving causing death and injury and released on 150,000 baht bail.
Shooting Takes Parents’ Lives
A couple who died protecting their children during the restaurant shooting were cremated on December 26 in Pa Bon, Phatthalung province.
Hat Yai police investigators escort Akarapont Phamjamnong, age 50, a former Territorial Defense Volunteer of Hat Yai district, to the Songkhla Provincial Court for detention on December 24, 2024.
The incident occurred on their son’s 12th birthday at a rice porridge restaurant in Hat Yai, Songkhla. The mother died shielding her 6-year-old daughter, while the father was fatally shot in the head trying to protect his family.
The suspect, 50-year-old Akarapont Phamjamnong, a former Territorial Defense Volunteer, has been charged with murder for killing the married couple Sittipong and Ms. Orachon, attempted murder for injuring three others, including the female rice porridge restaurant owner who was shot in her left eye and lost her vision.
Additionally, he faces charges of firing a weapon in a community area and illegally carrying a firearm in public. Before being detained after being denied bail, he raised his hands in apology and expressed remorse for the incident, apologizing to the victims’ families.
He stated that he acted out of rage and refused to comment further, saying he had already given his statement during the investigation and would accept the consequences of his actions.
Traumatized patrons after a gunman opened fatal fire at a rice porridge restaurant on Nuankaew Uthit Road in Hat Yai, Songkhla on Dec. 22, 2024.
While many government and private sector organizations have offered educational support for the two orphaned children, this senseless act of alcohol-fueled violence highlights ongoing concerns about both alcohol control and gun violence in society.
In response to these incidents, Sastra Sripan, spokesperson for the Tourism Committee, announced that the committee will propose amendments to gun possession laws. Currently, the penalty for carrying firearms outside of official duties is limited to a fine not exceeding 10,000 baht, which the committee considers insufficient to create an effective deterrent in society.
Get ready to ring in the New Year with excitement and energy as Wei Zhe Ming joins the ultimate countdown celebration at ICONSIAM on December 30!
An exciting phenomenon is set to captivate Thais nationwide as ICONSIAM, the global landmark on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, partners with public and private sectors to host the most spectacular “Amazing Thailand Countdown 2025.”
Among the artists gracing the grand show at River Park, ICONSIAM, there is a special surprise in store– Wei Zhe Ming, the internationally renowned Chinese icon, will be making a special appearance, much to bring joy to Thai fans on December 30, 2024, marking a truly memorable end to the year.
Wei Zhe Ming is a renowned Chinese singer and actor with a global fanbase, famous for his roles as a charming, calm, gentle, and warm-hearted character. He is often affectionately associated with the nickname “microwave” due to his unique on-screen presence. This will be the first time Thai fans can see Wei Zhe Ming perform live on stage at the “Amazing Thailand Countdown 2025 ” Get ready for an unforgettable experience as his show is sure to leave the audience screaming and cheering!
Join us for an extraordinary global countdown phenomenon, celebrating the grandest finale of the year with Amazing Thailand Countdown 2025. Experience a spectacular event like never before in Thailand, set against the most breathtaking curve of the Chao Phraya River at ICONSIAM. Stay updated with the latest news via our Facebook page: ICONSIAM (www.facebook.com/ICONSIAM/) or connect with us on LINE Official: @ICONSIAM.
Relatives of a victim of a 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami hug each other during its 20th anniversary at Tsunami Memorial Park at Ban Nam Khem, Takuapa district of Phang Nga province, southern Thailand, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn)
BANDA ACEH, Indonesia (AP) — People gathered in prayer and visited mass graves in Indonesia’s Aceh province on Thursday to mark 20 years since the massive Indian Ocean tsunami hit the region in one of modern history’s worst natural disasters.
Many wept as they placed flowers at a mass grave in Ulee Lheue village, where more than 14,000 unidentified tsunami victims are buried. It is one of several mass graves in Banda Aceh, the capital of Indonesia’s northernmost province, which was one of the areas worst hit by a magnitude 9.1 earthquake and the massive tsunami it triggered.
“We miss them and we still don’t know where they are. All we know is that every year we visit the mass grave in Ulee Lhue and Siron,” said Muhamad Amirudin, who lost two of his children 20 years ago and has never found their bodies.
“This life is only temporary, so we do our best to be useful to others,” Amirudin, visiting the grave with his wife, said.
Women comfort each other as they visit a mass grave of victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami during the commemoration of the 20th year since the disaster, in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Reza Saifullah)
A woman weeps during a prayer marking 20 years of the massive Indian Ocean tsunami, in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Reza Saifullah)
Even though 20 years have passed, survivors in Indonesia are still grieving the loved ones they lost to the giant wave that flattened buildings all the way to the provincial capital of Banda Aceh.
Hundreds of people gathered to pray at the Baiturrahman Mosque in downtown Banda Aceh. Sirens sounded across the city for three minutes to mark the time of the earthquake.
Infrastructure in Aceh has been rebuilt and is now more resilient than before the tsunami struck. Early warning systems have been installed in coastal areas to alert residents of incoming tsunamis, providing crucial time to seek safety.
A woman sprinkles water on a stone marking a mass grave of victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Reza Saifullah)
The rebuilding efforts were made possible by the support of international donors and organizations, which contributed significant funds to help the region recover. Schools, hospitals, and essential infrastructure destroyed by the disaster have been reconstructed.
In Thailand, people gathered at a memorial ceremony in Ban Nam Khem, a small fishing village in Phang Nga province that bore the brunt of the devastating wave in the country.
Mourners shed tears and comforted each other as they laid flowers at the village’s tsunami memorial. Around 300 people joined a modest ceremony with Muslim, Christian and Buddhist prayers.
Urai Sirisuk said she avoids the seaside memorial park the rest of the year because the loss of her 4-year-old daughter still cuts deep every time she’s reminded of it.
A relative of a victim of a 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami cries during its 20th anniversary at Tsunami Memorial Park at Ban Nam Khem, Takuapa district of Phang Nga province, southern Thailand, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn)
“I have this feeling that the sea has taken my child. I’m very angry with it. I can’t even put my foot in the water,” she said.
But, she said, “I still hear her voice in my ears, that she’s calling for me. I can’t abandon her. So I have to be here, for my child.”
In India, hundreds gathered at Marina beach in the southern city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu state. They poured milk into the sea to propitiate gods and offered flowers and prayers for the dead as drums beat in the background.
According to official data, 10,749 people were killed in India, including nearly 7,000 people in Tamil Nadu alone.
“It has been 20 years since the tsunami,” said 69-year-old Sadayammal, who uses one name. “We are here to pay respects to the people who lost their lives.”
Tsunami survivor Kumudu Priyantha holds photographs of his three daughters and wife who died during 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami during its 20th anniversary in Peraliya, Sri Lanka, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
In Sri Lanka, survivors and relatives of tsunami victims gathered at the coastal village of Pereliya and laid flowers at a memorial that commemorates nearly 2,000 passengers who died when their train, the Queen of the Sea, was hit by the wave. Only a few dozen people are believed to have survived.
Anura Ranjith joined the mourners to pay respects to his younger sister, Anula Ranjani, and her 9-year-old daughter who were passengers on the train. Ranjith never heard from them after that day.
“I looked for them everywhere for years and still, no information about them. Their loss is a great sorrow and pain for me. I am still grieving,” he said.
Overall, more than 35,000 people died in Sri Lanka in the tsunami. People across the country observed two minutes of silence on Thursday in memory of those who lost their lives.
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Reza Saifullah reported from Banda Aceh and Edna Tarigan reported from Jakarta, Indonesia. Associated Press journalists Tian Macleod Ji in Phang Nga, Thailand, Jintamas Saksornchai in Bangkok, Aijaz Hussain in New Delhi, Bharatha Mallawarachi in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and Eranga Jayawardena in Pereliya, Sri Lanka, contributed to this report.
Tourist Police in Pattaya recover evidence including a gold bracelet weighing 52.8 grams, which the Chinese suspect used for fraud on Dec. 25, 2024.
PATTAYA — Tourist Police have successfully apprehended a suspect who allegedly pawned counterfeit gold at multiple pawn shops across the city.
The arrest took place on December 25 when officers detained Mr. Huanyou, a 29-year-old Chinese national, on Pattaya Third Road in Nongprue subdistrict, Banglamung district, Chonburi province.
During the arrest, police recovered evidence including a gold bracelet weighing 52.8 grams (approximately 3.5 baht weight), a pawn ticket from a Pattaya pawn shop dated December 25, and 80,000 Thai baht in cash. The suspect reportedly collapsed upon arrest and needed assistance to stand.
Police officers detain Mr. Huanyou, a 29-year-old Chinese national, who allegedly pawned counterfeit gold at multiple pawn shops across the city, on Dec. 25, 2024.
The case came to light after several pawn shop operators in Pattaya and surrounding areas filed complaints with the police, reporting that a foreign national had pawned what appeared to be genuine gold jewelry. However, subsequent testing revealed the items to be counterfeit, with the perpetrator having fled before the forgery was discovered.
Lieutenant General Saksira Phuek-am, commander of the Tourist Police Bureau, ordered an investigative team to track down the suspect. Investigators discovered that the suspect had pawned a counterfeit gold bracelet weighing 3.5 baht at a prominent Pattaya pawn shop.
Tourist Police in Pattaya recover evidence including a gold bracelet weighing 52.8 grams, a pawn ticket from a Pattaya pawn shop dated December 25, and 80,000 Thai baht in cash, on Dec. 25, 2024.
They set up surveillance and arrested the suspect as he was leaving the premises, recovering both the pawn ticket and cash obtained from the fraudulent transaction.
Mr. Huanyou was transferred to Pattaya City Police Station, where he was charged with fraud. He has reportedly confessed to the crime, which carries a maximum penalty of three years imprisonment, a fine of up to 60,000 baht, or both. Police are currently investigating to determine the total number of pawn shops targeted in this scheme.
The wreckage of Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 lays on the ground near the airport of Aktau, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Azamat Sarsenbayev)
An Azerbaijani airliner with 67 people onboard crashed Wednesday near the Kazakhstani city of Aktau, killing 38 people and leaving 29 survivors, a Kazakh official said.
Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Bozumbaev disclosed the figures while meeting with Azerbaijani officials, the Russian news agency Interfax reported.
The Embraer 190 was en route from the Azerbaijani capital of Baku to the Russian city of Grozny in the North Caucasus when it was diverted and attempted an emergency landing 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) from Aktau, Azerbaijan Airlines said.
Speaking at a news conference, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said that it was too soon to speculate on the reasons behind the crash, but said that the weather had forced the plane to change from its planned course.
In this photo taken from a video released by the administration of Mangystau region, the wreckage of Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 lies on the ground near the airport of Aktau, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024. (The Administration of Mangystau Region via AP)
“The information provided to me is that the plane changed its course between Baku and Grozny due to worsening weather conditions and headed to Aktau airport, where it crashed upon landing,” he said.
Russia’s civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, said that preliminary information showed that the pilots diverted to Aktau after a bird strike led to an emergency on board.
According to Kazakh officials, those aboard the plane included 42 Azerbaijani citizens, 16 Russian nationals, six Kazakhs and three Kyrgyzstan nationals. Azerbaijan’s prosecutor general’s office previously said that 32 of the 67 people on board had survived the crash, but told journalists that the number wasn’t final.
The Associated Press could not immediately reconcile the difference between the numbers of survivors given by Kazakhstan and Azerbaijani officials.
Mobile phone footage circulating online appeared to show the aircraft making a steep descent before smashing into the ground in a fireball. Other footage showed part of its fuselage ripped away from the wings and the rest of the aircraft, lying upside in the grass. The footage corresponded to the plane’s colors and its registration number.
Some of the videos posted on social media showed survivors dragging fellow passengers away from the wreckage.
Flight-tracking data from FlightRadar24.com showed the aircraft making what appeared to be a figure eight once nearing the airport in Aktau, its altitude moving up and down substantially over the last minutes of the flight before impacting the ground.
FlightRadar24 separately said in an online post that the aircraft had faced “strong GPS jamming,” which “made the aircraft transmit bad ADS-B data,” referring to the information that allows flight-tracking websites to follow planes in flight. Russia has been blamed in the past for jamming GPS transmissions in the wider region.
The wreckage of Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 lays on the ground near the airport of Aktau, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Azamat Sarsenbayev)
Azerbaijan Airlines said it would keep members of the public updated and changed its social media banners to solid black. It also said that it would suspend flights between Baku and Grozny, as well as between Baku and the city of Makhachkala in Russia’s North Caucasus, until its investigation into the crash has been concluded.
Azerbaijan’s state news agency, Azertac, said that an official delegation of Azerbaijan’s emergency situations minister, the deputy general prosecutor and the vice president of Azerbaijan Airlines were sent to Aktau to conduct an “on-site investigation.”
Aliyev, who was traveling to Russia, returned to Azerbaijan on hearing news of the crash, the president’s press service said. He was due to attend an informal meeting of leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States, a bloc of former Soviet countries founded after the collapse of the Soviet Union, in St. Petersburg.
Aliyev expressed his condolences to the families of the victims in a statement on social media. “It is with deep sadness that I express my condolences to the families of the victims and wish a speedy recovery to those injured,” he wrote.
He also signed a decree declaring Dec. 26 a day of mourning in Azerbaijan.
Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke to Aliyev on the phone and expressed his condolences, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
Speaking at the CIS meeting in St. Petersburg, Putin also said that Russia’s Emergency Ministry sent a plane with equipment and medical workers to Kazakhstan to assist with the aftermath of the crash.
Kazakhstani, Azerbaijani and Russian authorities said they were investigating the crash. Embraer told The Associated Press in a statement that the company is “ready to assist all relevant authorities.”
THE FIRST PRIVATE BARREL IN THAILAND, Alchemy Thailand and Centara Grand at CentralWorld launched Wild Turkey Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Private Barrel at Red Sky Bar on 13th December 2024. From Left: Thitipong Lorprasert, Nicolas Loreau, Director of Food & Beverage of Centara Grand at CentralWorld, Unnop Keawputtal, Executive Assistant Manager-Food & Beverage and Bangkok Convention of Centara Grand at CentralWorld, Laphatrada Pitchalad – Alchemy Thailand National HORECA Manager and Zoltan Konczol Campari Group Regional Brand Ambassador.
WILD TURKEY PRIVATE BARREL
For the first time, Wild Turkey bourbon have been made available for private barrel ownership. Matured in the deepest No. 4 “alligator” char American White Oak barrels, Master Distiller, Eddie Russell, has hand selected the most complex and perfectly rounded barrels found in the old wooden rick houses, situated on Wild Turkey Hill. Aged to perfection, these special barrels have been reserved for aficionados who truly appreciate the craftsmanship that has gone into producing these rare and precious liquids, and this is your chance to own one of these precious gems.
The Kentucky Spirit Private Barrels have been chosen by Master Distiller Eddie Russell at the peak of their maturity due to their unique and vibrant flavour profiles. With new make liquid put into the barrel during Christmas 2009, the prime position within level 4 of their rickhouses have helped to bring out the exceptional aromas, flavors and finishes that are unique to these barrels alone. Bottled at the Wild Turkey signature 101 proof (50.5% ABV), each Single Barrel has its own unique personality that will not be available anywhere else in the world.
The distillery for Wild Turkey Bourbon is in Kentucky, situated on a deep limestone shelf on the Kentucky River. The shelf acts as a natural filter and provides the distillery with crystal clear water, vital to making such a high-quality product. Wild Turkey features the legendary father and son Master Distilling team of Jimmy and Eddie Russell, who have over 100 years of collective experience working at the Wild Turkey distillery.
Situated on the banks of the Kentucky River, bourbon has been produced at the Wild Turkey Distillery since 1869 and Wild Turkey’s very own Jimmy Russell is the longest-tenured active Master Distiller in the world. For over 60 years, he’s preserved a tradition that dates back generations, and he’s passed his knowledge onto his Master Distiller son Eddie, who has also been at the distillery for over 35 years. Together, with over 100 years of distilling knowledge, they have created some of the finest whiskies on the planet, and you now have the opportunity to own the best of the best.
The famous Wild Turkey brand name first came about back in 1940 when distillery executive Thomas McCarthey took a few warehouse samples on a Wild Turkey hunting trip with a group of friends. The following year, his friends asked him for “Some of that Wild Turkey whiskey” and the brand was born. Website: www.wildturkey.com
ABOUT RED SKY BAR
Reach for the stars at Red Sky Bar, the Centara Grand at CentralWorld every day. Fifty-six floors above the city it offers a stunning 360-degree vista of the skyline as far as the eye can see. Above you are only dark, star-studded skies, below you the hustle and bustle of the busy city. Recline on comfy lounge beds and sofas as you partake of our exceptional compilation of liquors, fine wines, signature cocktails and cigars. Relax as the resident DJ swings through an eclectic playlist of rhythm.
Daily and glorious sunsets are served complimentary most days. Enjoy the high life daily only at Red Sky Bar. For more information, please call 02 100 6255
